A Hoenn Adventure
by Tai Sky
Summary: Tai decides to test his luck as a Pokemon Trainer six years after his tenth birthday. Having spent this time at a school in Rustburo, does he have what it takes to become a Pokemon Master? Or will his lack of experience takes it's toll?
1. Chapter 1

The Hoenn Journey (A Pokemon Fanfiction)

Disclaimer: The only things I own is Tai and Bouncer (MEH BOUNCER!!) XD

By: Tai Sky

Chapter One: Friends for Life

The sun poked over the horizon, filling the region of Hoenn with its bright rays. As the night transisted to day, all of the Pokemon that came out at night hid in trees, under bushes, in high treetops, dug underground, or found some sort of shadowy place to take up residence until it was dark again. Pokemon that enjoyed the light, however, came out in the open, glad at a chance to stretch and make the most of their day. One such place was the Pokemon Lab in Littleroot Town, near the southern border of Hoenn. Being such a small place, it didn't take long for the sun to illuminate the tiny town and awaken the many Pokemon near it.

Professor Birch, a somewhat pudgy man with green eyes and thick brown hair, yawned as he sat up on the couch he had fallen asleep on the previous night. He stretched his arms toward the sky and let loose a yawn that could have passed for an attack a Snorlax might use. As he stood up scratching his back, he opened his eyes and squinted at the luminous sunlight streaming in through the open blinds on the lab's windows. He had been so busy preparing for today that he had fallen asleep without bothering to pick up the multitude of papers scattered across the tiled floor, or close the mini-blinds before night had fallen. However, that didn't matter. What did matter was the fact that he had been able to get the three Pokemon ready for the three trainers that would be arriving today.

A sharp knock came from a door to the far south of the lab. Birch looked at the wristwatch he always carried and saw that it was only 5:30 in the morning. Who on earth could want to speak to him at such an early hour of the day? His assistant wasn't due to arrive until 10:00, and he hadn't expected the trainers to arrive until noon. As the knocking grew sharper and more frequent, Professor Birch just shook his head in disbelief. He had better see who it was before they woke up all of the sleeping Pokemon. He briskly walked to the sturdy oak door and grasped the bronze knob. He swung the door open with another yawn and blinked a few times at who he saw on his doorstep.

A boy of about 16 crossed the threshold of the lab, his golden-brown hair flying behind him as Birch closed the door as quietly as possible. Other than the boy's mop of untidy hair, crystal blue eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses framed his face, making his eyes appear to gleam. The boy wore a light blue shirt with forest-green sleeves cut off before the elbows. A weathered brown belt overlapped the faded denim jeans he wore, which stopped just before his blue-and-white sneakers. On his back was a small yellow pack with strings hanging down, allowing the boy to tighten or loosen the mouth of the sack. A smile spread across the boy's face as he spoke, revealing a mouth full of teeth.

"Hi, Professor Birch! Sorry to come at such an early hour, but I'm just so eager to start my journey, I simply couldn't wait!"

Birch just scratched the back of his head and returned the smile. How had he not seen this coming? He might of known that Tai would have been the first trainer here. Having been a student at the Pokemon School in Rustboro City for the past six years, naturally he would want a Pokemon right away. Most trainers got their Pokemon when they turned 10, but Tai had waited until he graduated from Pokemon school at 16, to make sure he was well prepared.

"I take it you're all prepared?" Birch asked with a yawn.

"Yep, Tai replied, nodding his head. "I've got the PokeGear from Mom, the PokeNav I bought in Rustburo, and the PokeDex you gave me before I left. I've notified my parents already, so all I need is a Pokemon and I'm set!" The smile on Tai's face was so big it could have rivaled that of a Gengar.

"Follow me, then," Professor Birch said, leading Tai to a round table with three red-and-white balls on top: PokeBalls. One had a small flame on it, one had a tiny water droplet, and the last had a miniscule leaf painted on the front. As Birch pressed a button on the front of each ball, they opened up, letting forth a surge of white light. From the ball with the flame sprung a small orange chicken with beady eyes. A yellow trim of feathers around its neck, and a yellow crest on its head. From the ball with the water droplet came a small blue creature that looked like a cross between a fish and a frog. It had large green eyes, a blue fin sticking out of its head and rear, and two orange whiskers on each cheek. From the ball with the leaf erupted a small green gecko with a red belly, large yellow eyes, and a thick green tail split into three, but still connected.

"I trust you know what these Pokemon are," Birch said. "This is a Fire-Type, Torchic," he indicated to the chicken. "This is a Water-Type, Mudkip," he pointed to the blue creature. "And this is a Grass-Type, Treecko," he nodded his head toward the gecko.

"Each Pokemon is freshly caught, and very eager to receive its first trainer. They're all good Pokemon, but remember that the type you choose will determine the advantages and disadvantages you have in battle."

Tai glanced down at the three amazing creatures at his feet. Such small wonders, but with significant powers. How could he ever choose just one of them? He was about to just play 'Eenie-Menie-Miney-Moe' and get over the tension when suddenly the gecko Pokemon ran forward and wrapped its arms around Tai's right leg. Startled, Tai staggered backwards. The Pokemon held firm, though, and Tai lost his balance, falling into the mess of covers on the couch the professor had been using for a make-shift bed. The Pokemon let go of Tai's leg, but then proceeded to bounce up and down on Tai's stomach. Tai threw the covers off his head and stood up. The gecko hoped ontop of his head, though, and stayed there. When Tai tried to shake the Pokemon off, it griped his hair firmly and refused to let go. Tai remembered that Treecko had suctioncups in their fingers, and so he stopped resisting.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Birch laughed loudly, hands gripping the sides of his white lab coat. Tai gave him a 'what's-so-funny' look, and the professor stood erect, wiping tears from his eyes. "I don't think you have a choice in this matter," he continued. "Treecko are very protective Pokemon. It isn't easy to gain thier trust, even small ones. But this little fellow appears to have taking a liking to you! Pokemon can sense the nature of a trainer, and that effects their behavior toward that person. Obviously this little guy senses that you're an extremely kind person, and wants to be your partner!"

"Well," Tai said with a thin smile, "I suppose its better then taking a chance and randomly picking one with a guessing game. This Treecko has a very thick tail, plus its belly is a deep crimson, so I'm assuming that its male. Now, what do I name you?" Not many trainers liked to name their Pokemon partners for whatever reason, but Tai felt like this creature on his head would become like family to him, so he decided to name it. "How about...Levin?"

The Treecko stuck out its tongue at the name.

"No? Then what about...Gecko?"

Again the Treecko didn't like the title.

"Okay, fine, Mr. Stubborn. No, that's not the name I meant!" The Treecko had been pulling Tai's hair at the sound of 'Mr. Stubborn'. "Do you like...umm, let's see...what about Bouncer?"

The Treecko was ready to pull another fistful of golden-brown threads when it heard the suggestion. It clapped its hands happily and smiled greatly.

"Okay, Bouncer it is!" Tai said, smiling just as brightly, ignoring the slight pain in his head. Professor Birch handed Tai five PokeBalls, which he stuck in his pack, and the ball with the leaf on it, so that he could return Bouncer to it if need be. He decided, however, to keep the guy on his head, where he was apparently more comfortable.

As Tai left the lab with a big smile and a friendly wave, Bouncer lazily snoring on his head, Birch did the same before closing his door. Professor Birch returned the remaining Pokemon to their PokeBalls, then yawned yet again. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was now 6:00 am. Time to go back to bed...

End of Chapter One


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter TwoStarting an Adventure

The woods outside of Littleroot Town teemed with movement as various Pokemon scurried about, readying for the day ahead. Zigzagoons were darting across an obscured dirt path, Wurmples were climbing tree limbs to feast on the leafy foilage, and numerous Taillow flew above head, searching the dew-soaked ground for prey. Spinaraks curled up in their webs for the day, and Sandshrew could be seen burrowing underground until night came. Everything was peaceful.

Tai couldn't help but feel captivated by the serenity of the small forest. He always enjoyed walking through the tall trees, the lush grass, and the fresh air. He found it soothing. He slightly envied Pokemon for their ability to live without need of an overly large houses made of brick, or constantly worrying about numerous bills. To be able to live in such a peaceful commuity, away from the harsh strife that cities presented. If ever he decided to settle down somewhere, Tai wanted it to be in a small cottage in the woods somewhere. Not somewhere like Rustboro, where the noise could be deafening at times.

As Tai walked along a lone dirt path that wound through trees varying in shape and size, he thought he heard something, something like a twig snapping, or leaves rustling. Bouncer, using his partner's head as a bed, was laying with his tail as a sort of blanket, a slight whistling sound coming from his lips as he breathed. If Bouncer was still sleeping when that noise had occured, then maybe there was nothing to worry about. Pokemon were more in tune with nature than humans were, so if his energetic little friend didn't sense anything, then perhaps he was just being paranoid.

Tai walked about another mile or two when he heard the sound again, this time closer. He started to walk again when the noise occured yet again, only this time it came from directly above him. He tilted his head slightly so as not to wake up Bouncer, but whatever had made the noise either wasn't there, or was, but was covered by the huge leaves all over the tree branch. Turning his attention back to the path, Tai let the sounds fade from his mind. He was just overreacting. It was far to early for anybody in Littleroot to have woken up, and he was still aways off from Oldale Town. He probably had just heard a Pidgey or a Spearow tending to its nest.

Another five minutes pased when the sound happened again. Tai swerved on the spot, expecting to see somebody-he didn't know who, but somebody-standing behind him, ready to pounce. He saw nothing.

"All right!" Tai shouted, his voice echoing through the woods. "Whose there? If somebody wants to talk to me, you don't have to sneak around! Hello? Hello?!"

The only thing that reached Tai's ears was his own voice, so he waited for a reply. When none came, he turned around and was about to continue towards Oldale Town when a sharp _crack_ sounded from above him. In a flurry of movement, Bouncer's eyes snapped open and he dove to the ground. A tree branch crashed beside Tai's feet, and before he could comprehend what had happened, something hard fell on his head with a dull _thud_. His glasses knocked to the earthen floor, Tai knelt down, rubbing his head and searching for his glasses. Bouncer tapped him on the shoulder, then shoved the spectacles on his face.

"Thanks, buddy," Tai said as the Treecko climbed ontop of his head again. Adjusting his glasses, Tai saw what had struck him.

What appeared to be an overly-sized acorn lay at his feet, quivering. It didn't have any arms, but two small, round feet. Big yellow eyes peered up at him, full of fright. As Tai reached out to touch it, the Pokemon shook more violently.

"What are you called again?" Tai wondered aloud as he scooped the acorn Pokemon into his arms. "Something with 'dot' in it. Umm, 'dot', 'dot', something with a 'dot'..."

"Seedot!" the tiny creature squeeked.

"Oh, that's right!" Tai exclaimed. "You're a Seedot. Aw, you can stop shaking now. I won't hurt you, I promise." At hearing Tai's voice, the Seedot calmed down. Perhaps it had just been flustered from the fall. Tai dug into his pocket with his spare hand and fished out a red rectangular device. He pushed a button on it and it opened up. Tai quietly said, "Seedot," and the machine turned on.

"SEEDOT," a mechanical voice sounded from the rectangle. "THE ACORN POKEMON. SEEDOT HANG FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF TREES, ABSORBING NUTRIENTS WITH THEIR STEMS. WHEN A BRANCH NO LONGER HAS THE NUTRIENTS A SEEDOT NEEDS, EITHER THE POKEMON WILL LEAVE, OR IT WILL SUCK THE BRANCH DRY UNTIL IT FALLS OFF OF THE TREE."

"Interesting," Tai said aloud. "List of moves?"

"SEEDOT ARE CAPABLE OF LEARNING BIDE, HARDEN, AND TACKLE. MORE MOVES REQUIRE ASSISTANCE FROM THE TRAINER." The machine gave a beep, and Tai closed it. After putting the PokeDex back into his jeans pocket, he carefully examined the small Pokemon.

"A dark outter coating," he said to himself. "And feet slightly bigger then a rosebud. My bet is that you're a boy."

A flash of black passed Tai's line of vision, and the Seedot fell from his hands. Tai turned his head and saw a giant, black beetle-type creature standing above the poor acorn Pokemon.

"A Heracross!" Tai said in his head. "Of course! That's the sound I've been hearing! Heracross suck the sap from trees, while Seedot suck the nutrients. I guess the Seedot and the Heracross were on the same tree, and the Heracross didn't like that! They're not normally agressive Pokemon, but they don't like to be interupted while feeding!"

The Heracross raised its right arm to strike when Tai reached out and took hold of it. With a jerk, the beetle Pokemon threw Tai to the ground. Angry at this assult to his trainer, Bouncer leapt from Tai's head and struck the beetle square in the face with his tail. The Pound attack worked, and the Heracross staggered backwards. Seedot began to glow bright green, and Tai assumed it was using Harden to defend itself. He had to help.

"Think, think, think!" Tai shouted in his head. "What can a Treecko learn, what can a Treecko learn?! Pound...Pound...what else besides Pound?! Umm...Leer!" Tai opened his mouth and shouted, "Bouncer, use Leer!"

Bouncer's eyes glowed a bright yellow, and the Heracross appeared to back down. It didn't stay frightened for long, though, and it came at Bouncer with the long horn on its head. It was using Mega Horn.

"Jump!" Tai said in the nic of time. Bouncer sprung up as Heracross dove under it. "Pound!" Tai hollered, and Bouncer struck the Heracross in the back with his tail. But the attack had no apparent effect on the big black beetle.

"No good," Tai thought desperately. "Heracross's armor is too thick. Bouncer's attacks won't make it through in time!"

A startled cry came from Tai's left, and he saw the giant beetle barrel into the unfortunate Seedot. The Harden had been just enough to allow it to remain conscious, but it was still hurt. As the Heracross came in for another attack, something strange happened. Seedot began to shine, but not with the sheen of a Harden. As Heracross closed the distance between itself and the waiting Seedot, the acorn Pokemon countered. A sphere of light surged forth and struck the Heracross on its soft underbelly. It fell to the ground, completely knocked out.

"Wow," Tai whispered in awe. "So thats a Bide attack. I knew it returned double the damage a Pokemon had taken, but I didn't think it could be so powerful."

Bouncer hoped ontop of Tai's head, pointing at the Seedot. Tai once again scooped it up in his arms and examined it.

"We should get you to a Pokemon Center pronto," he said urgently, but then a thought came to him. He retreieved a PokeBall from the pack on his back and held it in front of the Seedot.

"Do you want to travel with us?" Tai asked excitedly. Whether it liked the idea, it was grateful for Tai's kindness, or both, the Seedot nodded, and Tai tapped it with the PokeBall. The ball rocked back and forth slowly in the palm of his hand, beeping softly. After a final 'ping' the ball stood still. Attatching the ball to his belt beside Bouncer's ball, Tai jumped up in the air, fist raised in triumph.

"I did it!" he cried cheerfully. "I caught a Seedot!"

As he came back to earth and began walking, a broad grin on his face, another thought occured to him.

"Hey Bouncer, what should I name our new friend?"

Bouncer shrugged his shoulders.

"How about Dynamo?"

Bouncer stuck out his tongue.

"Okay, fine. How about...umm...how does Woody sound?"

Bouncer nodded his head with much enthsiasm, pleased with the nickname.

"Perfect. Woody it is."

End of Chapter Two


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: A Friendly Battle

Not long after catching Woody, Tai and Bouncer found their way out of the forest. However, what came to thier attention after exiting the woods wasn't a whole deal greater. Before them stretched a vast amount of grassy plain, a lake with clear blue water in its center. The same dirt path lead around it as far as Tai could see. Bushes with numerous berries were abundant near the edge of the lake, but as for signs of life, the place seemed pretty desolate. The only real movement other then birds flying overhead was an occasional ripple at the water's surface. Tai caught a glimpse of something orange, but it quickly vanished. Probably a Magikarp, or maybe a Corphish.

As he walked down the road, Bouncer serving as a green hat, a scurrying sound came from the left. As Tai turned his head, he saw what appeared to be a black-and-gray wolf-type Pokemon scamper across the grass, a Poochyena. No sooner had the Pokemon stopped in the middle of the road then it shot off again, only to be replaced by something else. A girl of about 15 sprang from the foliage and landed were the wolf creature had just been.

"Drat!" the girl spat. "It got away again!"

The girl turned and apparently had just noticed Tai was there, for she gave a start. With her facing him, Tai could distinquish a few traits about her. She had ravenous black hair that ended at her shoulders, serving to brighten her pale green eyes. She wore a yellow tank top with white kapris, and on her feet were brown sandals. On her left wrist was a charm braclet with a small PokeBall attatched to it.

"You!" the girl shouted, and Tai took a step back.

"M-me?" he stuttered, wondering what he had done wrong.

"Yes, you! You scared that Pokemon away, didn't you? I've been chasing that Poochyena for the past day and a half, and right when I thought I had it, here you are. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I think you're overeacting, lady," Tai said with a wry smile. "Poochyena are fairly common around here, I believe. It shouldn't be that hard finding another one-"

"That's not the point!" the girl cut Tai off. "The point is that you rudely interupted me while I was in the process of catching that lone Pokemon! I can't stand rude people who just up and think they can do whatever they please!"

"Whoa, there, miss! I didn't 'up and do' anything! I was just walking along the path when that Poochyena and you practically gave me a heart attack! I'm not the one in the wrong here!"

"Are you calling me a liar?!"

"No, I'm calling you dellusional!"

The girl furiously took the PokeBall from her braclet and pushed the center button to enlargen it. She shot Tai a glance that made him shiver.

"I challenge you and that lizard on your head to a battle!" the girl spat, and Bouncer woke up on the spot. Tai didn't know why, but he suddenly became very angry. Making fun of him was one thing, but she had just pulled one on Bouncer, and that was unaccepteble.

"Listen, you crazy illiterate trainer," he snarled, "He's a gecko, not a lizard! Lizards have long tongues and are related to snakes. Does Bouncer look like a Seviper to you?"

"Bouncer?" the girl scoffed. "Nice name for a pet lizard."

"He's not a lizard! He's a gecko! Get that through your thick skull!"

"Are we gonna battle or not?"

"Bring it on, sister!"

"Name's Ryuki," the girl said as she tossed the red-and-white ball into the air.

"I'm Tai," Tai said as Bouncer leapt off of his head, ready to battle.

A flash of blinding white light erupted from the airborne ball and hit the ground. When it faded, a small, blue mudfish stood before him. Tai quickly took out his PokeDex and consulted it.

"MUDKIP," the machine beeped. "THE MUDFISH POKEMON. THE FINS ON MUDFISH ARE USED NOT ONLY AS SUPPORT WHILE SWIMMING, BUT ALSO FUNCTION AS SENSORS TO ALERT THE POKEMON TO ONCOMING DANGER. LIST OF MOVES INCLUDE WATER GUN, LEER, SCRATCH, AND DEFENSE CURL." With a final _beep_, Tai pocketed his PokeDex.

"Mudkip!" Ryuki said. "Use Scratch!"

The Mudkip started running at Bouncer, who stood his ground. As Mudkip raised its paw to strike, Tai called out, "Dodge!" and Bouncer leapt aside, anarrowly avoiding the attack. As the mudfish Pokemon turned, Tai shouted, "Leer!" and Bouncer's eyes glowed a bright yellow. Mudkip backed down a bit, sweat forming at its head-fin.

"Use Pound!" Tai called, and Bouncer caught Mudkip in the back with his tail. Mudkip rolled along the grass, sending blades of green flying up in its wake. As it crawled to its feet, Tai said, "Pound!" and Ryuki said, "Defense Curl!". Mudkip took hold of its hands and feet and curled up into a ball just as Bouncer struck its body with his tail. Like a volleyball, Mudkip flew in the air, landing in he lake. A moment later the Pokemon came crawling out of the water, dripping wet.

"Pound!"

"Water Gun!"

As Bouncer flew at Mudkip, the blue creature opened its mouth wide and let loose a jet of water that caught Bouncer in the stomach, sending it spiraling back to earth. Bouncer caught hold of a tree, though, and hoped safely to the ground. However, Ryuki had already called for another Scratch attack, and Mudkip was barreling towards the Treecko as fast as its little legs could carry it. The instant before the attack reached him, however, Bouncer heard Tai call, "Duck and Pound!" Bouncer ducked as Mudkip's paw swooshed over his head, and he countered with his tail, catching the mudfish Pokemon square in the face. As Mudkip staggered backwards, it appeared to want to continue, but it lost its balance and fell to the ground, unconscious. A beam of red light struck Mudkip, and it returned to the PokeBall in Ryuki's hand, who shortened it and replaced it on her braclet.

Bouncer happily scurried onto Tai's head, a wide grin on his face, Tai with one to match.

"Nice battle," Ryuki said. "Maybe you aren't as bad as I thought you were."

"Thanks," Tai replied. "Back at you. So...where are you headed?"

"Oldale Town. I need to get Mudkip to the Pokemon Center there."

"Why don't we go together?" Tai suggsted. Ryuki nodded her head, and the two new friends set off together for Oldale Town, and the journey that lie ahead of them.

End of Chapter Three


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: An Oldale Adventure

The sun was high in the sky by now, and it was almost at the center of the vast expanse of blue. Only the occasional fluffy cloud broke the seemingly endless scenery. Swablu could be seen flying high up, but they blended in so well that Tai wasn't sure if they had been there in the first place. The sun left a glare on his glasses that hurt his eyes, so Tai looked away, blocking the sun with his arm. After traveling what seemed like days, Ryuki, Tai, and Bouncer arrived at a rusted iron gate. Hanging on a wooden stick before the fence was a sign that read, "OLDALE CLOSED FOR TRAVELERS. TERRIBLY SORRY. Mayor of Oldale Town"

"Huh?" Ryuki gasped in disbelief. "Oldale is closed? What for? A bad infestation of Beedrill or something?"

"I'm afraid its much worse then that!" Tai said as he pulled his companions to the ground. A jet of flame coursed through the closed iron bars, just barely missing the trio. Next instant, a jet of water struck the bars, and steam hissed from the point of contact. Getting to their feet, Tai, Ryuki, and Bouncer could see what appeared to be a small yellow camel battling an orange crabfish-type creature. The camel, called a Numel, and the crabfish, called a Corphish, were shooting back jets of flame and bubbles of water, neither Pokemon giving an inch. Behind the Numel stood a man in a red uniform with a large letter 'M' on his front. Behind the Corphish was a girl clad in a similar uniform, only blue, and with a large letter 'A' on her front.

"Team Aqua and Team Magma," Tai breathed, and Ryuki gave him a puzzled look. "I heard about these guys in Rustboro," Tai continued, looking at Ryuki's face. "They're rival Pokemon games that use fire and water-type Pokemon. Team Magma wants to expand the land, while Team Aqua wants to expand the sea. That's about all I know except that a man named 'Maxie' leads Magma, while a woman named 'Archie' leads Aqua. They're supposed to be really good trainers who have been bitter rivals for a long time..."

"You!" came a voice, and Tai and Ryuki spun on the spot. Two men in red uniforms stood behind them, watching. The man to the left was the one who had spoken. "What business do you have here? This was suppossed to be a secret operation...wait, are you Team Aqua spies?!"

"No, we were just passing through," Ryuki said, drawing back. The man was at least a foot taller than herself, and about twice as old, same for his partner.

"Lies!" the man shouted, pointing a finger at Ryuki.

"Don't you lay a finger on her!" Tai retorted, stepping in front of the man and Ryuki.

"Look, Raul," the second man said. "A sidekick and his lizard-"

"DON'T CALL BOUNCER A LIZARD! HE'S A GECKO, YOU POOR EXCUSE FOR A TEAM MAGMA ROOKIE!" Tai hollared as he implanted his foot into the second man's shin.

"Felix!" Raul yelled, diving to the ground to help his friend to his feet. When they were both standing up, they each unlatched a red-and-white PokeBall from their red belts. "You wanna play, runt?!"

"Bring it!" Tai snapped back, Ryuki standing beside him.

"You _idiot_!" Ryuki hissed, taking out Mudkip's PokeBall. "Look what you've gotten us into! Neither of us have much battle experience, and now we're _both_ in a double Pokemon battle! What are we supposed to do, wing it?"

"Works for me!" Tai said as Bouncer jumped off of his head, landing safetly in front of him.

"You moron! I was being sarcastic!"

"Were you? I hadn't noticed."

Ryuki just sighed and tossed the PokeBall into the air. A flash of white light slammed against the ground, and Mudkip stood, ready to fight. Ryuki didn't know if Mudkip had recovered from its fight with Bouncer, but she hoped it had. Double battling required both trainers and the Pokemon to be in sinc for the outcome to be successful. She didn't know a whole lot about Tai's battle style, and Tai didn't know the way she battled, either, so this was going to be a little difficult.

Felix and Raul threw their own PokeBalls, and a Numel and a Poochyena stood on the dirt floor. Each team stood ready for battle, the four Pokemon unsure of what to do. Obviously Mudkip and Bouncer weren't the only ones who had never been in a double battle before now. This made Tai and Ryuki feel slightly better.

"Bouncer, use Pound!" Tai called out, pointing at the Poochyena. Numel was a fire-type Pokemon, so it would be less dangerous if Bouncer attacked the Poochyena while Mudkip went foor the Numel, it being a water-type. Ryuki was probably thinking the same thing, because when Bouncer sprung at the wolf-like creature, she cried out, "Bubble!" and Mudkip opened its mouth. A volley of translucent spheres shot from the Pokemon's open jaw and floated at the camel-looking creature with alarming speed. However, the Magma grunts were ready.

"Poochyena, use Tackle!" Raul cried.

"Numel! Counter with Ember!" Felix commanded.

As Bouncer brought down his tail, Poochyena dodged under it and slammed into the Treecko with the side of its body, sending Bouncer into the side of a tree. Bouncer got to his feet, shaking off the slight twinge of pain he felt. After Poochyena had tackled Bouncer, Numel shot dozens of small flames from its snout, which connected with Mudkips bubbles, popping them, a sizzling sound filling the air.

"Bouncer, are you okay?" Tai cried out to his pal. "Can you use Pound again?" Bouncer nodded his head, then lunged at Poochyena again. This time the wolf didn't have time to react, and was hit full in the face by Bouncer's tail. As the Poochyena flew backwards, Ryuki called out, "Scratch!" and Mudkip clawed and scraped at the Pokemon. The Poochyena fainted.

"Poochyena!" Raul shouted, taking out a PokeBall. A red beam of light shot from the ball and enveloped Poochyena, who became the red light itself and retreated back inside its home.

"Pound!" Tai cried.

"Water Gun!" Ryuki shouted.

A smack to the face and a torrent of water to the side was just enough to send the lone Numel reeling backwards. Before Felix had time to yell a command, though, Mudkip had unleashed another Bubble attack, and the Numel fell to the ground, competely knocked out. As Felix returned his Pokemon to its PokeBall, Ryuki did the same with Mudkip. Bouncer jumped back on top of Tai's head, and the two Teamm Magma grunts fled, swearing that they would return.

"Lets get inside the town and see just what's going on," Tai said. Ryuki nodded her head in agreement, and working together, they managed to force open the gates. Whoever had locked them hadn't done a very good job, because the lock was rusty, and snapped as they applied more force. As they came into town, what met their eyes startled them greatly.

Numerous houses were on fire, the ground was torn apart, and puddles of dirty water was what could be seen throughout Oldale Town. Various trainers were having their water Pokemon put out the fires, but the destruction was only getting worse. Numels, Magmars, and Slugmas were torching the town, trying to get at Corphishs, Krabbys, and Squirtles. That's when reality sunk in, and Tai and Ryuki didn't like it one bit: Team Aqua and Team Magma were using Oldale Town as their personal battle ground to settle their grudges. It something wasn't done fast, there wouldn't be an Oldale Town left to save...

End of Chapter Three


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four: What's a Wurmple Between Friends?

"This is terrible!" Ryuki exclaimed, passing by a house that had burnt to the ground. The embers were still glowing. "What kind of cruel person would do this sort of thing?!"

"I think we're about to find out," Tai answered gravely, pointing in front of them. About a foot away from them stood a man with flaming red hair. He wore a red uniform with the initals 'TM' on the front. A black belt held four poke'balls to it. The man looked around the area, as if searching for something, or someone.

"Archie!" the man cried out in an angry voice. "Come and face me, you coward! Are you afraid of Max, the leader of Team Magma?!"

"That's the guy!" Ryuki whispered, trying to make sure they weren't spotted. "The leader of Team Magma, Max!"

"Well," Tai responded, a feirce flame burning in his blue eyes, "He's the one I'm taking down!" Tai charged at Max, kicking up small pebbles and dust as he ran. Bouncer gripped his hair tightly to stay on his head.

"You idiot!" Ryuki cried, chasing after him. She knew she wouldn't reach him in time, not with the head start he had gotten. Still, she had to try.

"What's this?" Max scoffed, taking notice of the boy, girl, and Pokemon rushing at him. "A boy and a...a lizard?" That did it.

"HE'S A GECKO, NOT A LIZARD YOU ILLITERATE RED CROSSDRESSER!" Tai screeched as he halted in front of Max. He brought his fist up in an arc, only to have Max dodge it, grab Tai's arm, and throw him into Ryuki, causing them both to crash to the ground.

"I have no time for pipsqueks like you. I have bigger fish to fry..."

"Fry this, Max!"

Out of nowhere a torrent of water blasted Max off his feet into the side of a damaged building. The side of the log cabin collapsed on Max as he stood up. He managed to shiled himself with his arms, but the logs tore his clothes. Growling, he looked up to see a large orange crab-like creature staring him down, a girl of the same age dressed in a blue uniform with 'TA' scribbled on her chest in bold letters. She gave a smirk as she pointed to the burning buildings.

"Cradaunt!" she cried. The big crab creature looked at her with its yellow eyes. "Use Hydro Pump on the flames! Dause them now!"

"Crau! Craudaunt!" the Pokemon rteplied, raising it's claws in the air. Each claw opened, spewing forth foamy water that sprinkled heavily like rain upon the town. Slowly the flames died down, until only cool embers were left. After this was done, a red beam of light encased Craudaunt, and it was returned to the girl's Poke'Ball.

"Archie, you scoundrel!" Max yelled, walking out from the destroyed reckage. "How did you find me here? My men should have stopped you!"

"You're 'men' need more training!" Archie replied slyly. "My troops took them down easily. You're losing your touch, my friend."

"Is that so? Well then, I suppose I'll just have to do better next time, now won't I?" Max made to turn and jump into the forest when, suddenly, a pink thread caught his leg, causing him to trip.

"Wurmple, Wurmp!"

"What the-?!" Archie gasped, then burst into laughter. "Oh, this is priceless! You walked walked right into a Wurmple's nest, you fool! Insult to injury!"

Growling, Max simply growled, then brought his foot to the back of the Poke'mon, sending it flying into the air. Everyone present gasped in horror. Seeing his chance, Max vanished into the dense foilage surrounding Oldale Town. Knowing that if she didn't leave this instant, Archie blew a whistle, then gave chase to him.

"Bouncer!" Tai cried, and Treecko nodded. With a quick jump in the air, he grabbed hold of the pink-and-yellow worm, but then fell to the ground. He hadn't calculated about the force of gravity once he had reached the small Pokemon. Tai ran, then dove out as if on a baseball diamond. He tripped midway, however, and landed flat on his back. Bouncer and Wurmple plumetted down...right into Tai's stomach. Bouncer quickly climbed off, waving his tail in front of Tai's face. Tai stood up, clutching his stomach and gasping for air.

"Hey, buddy?" Tai managed to choke out as Ryuki came up behind him. "Remind me to tell you to lay off the apples for awhile, 'kay?" Bouncer looked up for a second, then both he and his trainer burst out laughing, which only served to make Tai's stomach feel worse.

"I honestly don't see what's so funny," Ryuki snorted. "Half the town has been wiped out. How did this start, anyway?"

"It...happened so fast."

Tai, Bouncer, and Ryuki spun on the spot. A tall woman in a blue officer's uniform with red lipstick was standing behind them. At her side was a orange puppy with black stripes and white ruffled fur; a Growlithe. It was Officer Jenny.

"I wanted to thank you for trying to help out," Jenny said with a fast bow. Her blue hair bounced as the coils hit her white face. "They stormed the town with thier Mightyena, demanding for Team Aqua. When we told them they weren't here, they accused us of lying and attacked. It happened so fast. Most of the homes were destroyed. If you need to heal your Pokemon, the Pokemon Center is to the Northeast, just down that side-road. I'm needed elsewhere with damage control, so I guess I'll see you later. Take care, and notify me if any more trouble occurs!"

"Yes ma'am!" Ryuki and Tai said in union, saluting as Officer Jenny and Growlithe departed. Bouncer jumped onto Tai's head, and they were about to head in the direction Jenny had specified when Tai felt something on his back. Reaching behind himself, he felt something hard, but squishy. Grabbing hold of it, he brought it in front of him. He came eye-to-eye with the Wurmple from earlier.

"I think I know what it wants," Tai said with a smirk. He took a Poke'Ball from Bouncer, who had reached into his back, and watched as the Wurmple disappeared inside it in a flash of red light. After about two or three dings, the ball was quiet, and Tai placed it on his brown, weathered belt.

"Welcome to the family...Buggy."

"You have weird tastes with nicknames," Ryuki joked as they set off for Oldale's Pokemon Center. "That, and it seems that your Pokemon chose you, instead of the other way around.

"Are you saying I'm a bad trainer?!"

"Maybe..."

Tai chased Ryuki the rest of the way down the path, her having smirked at this last comment. They reached the Pokemon Center as the sun fell and the moon rised. After healing their weary Pokemon and getting a room, slumber took hold of them and swept them away in the night.

End of Chapter Four


End file.
